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The Truth About Workflow Triggers and Email Delays in HighLevel

HighLevel is a powerhouse—but even the best systems can hit a snag. 

One minute your form’s firing like a dream… next thing you know, your email’s showing up late like it just got out of bed.

We tackled this exact scenario in a live troubleshooting session with Mario Aldayuz (a.k.a. our in-house HighLevel detective 🔍 and Head of Partnerships at HL Pro Tools). 

And yeah, this one hits close to home for anyone relying on automations to impress clients or close leads.

Here’s what went down—and how to fix this mess before it drives your team crazy.

The Problem: Email Delays After Form Submissions

During the session, multiple users brought up the same pain point:

👉 “Why are my confirmation emails delayed—even when there’s no wait step in the workflow?”

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. It’s confusing, it’s frustrating, and it throws off the whole experience when leads don’t get that instant reply.

Mario’s take? This isn’t normal behavior. The system should trigger emails almost instantly once the form is submitted. If it’s lagging, there’s likely a glitch or config hiccup that needs attention.

What You Can Do Right Now

Here’s the fix that can save you hours of head-scratching:

🧪 Use the “Test Workflow” function.
Sounds simple—but most people skip this. Testing your workflow in real-time helps you:

  • Spot delays instantly
  • Catch email issues before your client does
  • Ensure triggers are firing exactly how you expect

If everything looks clean in the test and you’re still seeing a lag in live mode, it’s time to escalate to HighLevel support. There may be something deeper happening in the backend (yep, servers do have off days).

Bonus Tips from the Trenches

Want to avoid these issues altogether? Here’s your quick checklist 👇

🧠 Think through your trigger logic.
Sometimes the wrong trigger can slow down everything. Don’t just default to “Form Submitted” if you’re layering in complex conditions.

🕒 Avoid stacking conditional wait steps early in workflows.
These can get funky when processing in bulk or during peak hours.

💡 Build a clean testing environment.
Test with a clean contact record. Cluttered test data can throw off your results and give you false negatives.

Pro Tip: Streamline with HL Pro Tools Snapshots

If you’re trying to fix workflows like this after they’re already live, you’re probably spending more time than you need to. I’ve already built plug-and-play systems for this inside HL Pro Tools—fully tested, pre-wired, and optimized for speed.

You don’t have to guess. Just clone, tweak, and launch. 💥

Final Thought: Don’t Let Small Delays Cost You Big Wins

In a system like HighLevel, the tiniest misfire can kill a lead’s momentum. One late email could be the difference between a booked call and ghosted inbox. The good news? These are solvable problems—and we’ve got your back.

Want the Fix, Pre-Built?

💻 Stop patching together workflows from scratch.
We’ve got proven snapshots, plug-and-play automations, and live support waiting for you at
👉 hlprotools.com

Whether you’re just getting started or scaling to the moon 🚀, we’ll help you do it smarter—and a hell of a lot faster.

Do you want the HighLevel fast-track?

We bundled all the goodness we created for ourselves over the past 18 months into a complete training to sell more & retain clients longer with HighLevel®.

About HL Pro Tools

HL Pro Tools is the only white label HighLevel® support with a money back guarantee to help your agency sell more & retain clients longer.

Do you want the HighLevel fast-track?

We bundled all the goodness we created for ourselves over the past 18 months into a complete training to sell more & retain clients longer with HighLevel®.